Flaggs addresses residents’ concerns in public forum

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. took the time to answer complaints and accept praise during a public forum for Vicksburg residents last night.

“I feel good about our future,” Flaggs said. “I think we also have some challenges, but you know how I feel about challenges. I believe challenges turn into opportunities.”

Over 20,000 people live inside Vicksburg city limits, but only about a dozen hearty souls showed up in at the Robert Walker Building to ask their questions on a variety of topics from public safety to economic development.

Flaggs has made it a hallmark of his administration to take on all questions and concerns from the community. This is the third such meeting open to the public in the past year.

Resident Mike Davis kicked off the public forum with two questions, one of which about the city’s fireworks ordinance. Flaggs said it is legal to shoot fireworks during appropriate holidays, but he plans to sit down with city attorney, Nancy Thomas to clarify when they can be used.

“People are discharging fireworks two and three days before and after the actual holiday,” Flaggs said. “We need to publish the exact date and time it is permissible to discharge those.”

Roosevelt Hall was elected to speak on behalf of his neighborhood about water supply for fire trucks. Mr. Hall along with neighbors watched a neighbor’s house burn because firefighters could not get water from water hydrants properly.

“When you are a senior citizen, you shouldn’t have to sit there and watch your house burn down from lack of water inside the city limits,” Hall said.

Hall also pointed out cars were illegally parked on Wabash Road blocking the roadway even though “no parking” signs are placed along the road.

“I heard about this incident,” Flaggs said. “I don’t know if it was a hydrant issue or another issue, but our preventive maintenance should have prevented that from happening. We pay firemen and other people to prevent situations like that. I apologize for that. I will look into our preventive chart to see if there is a record on file to prevent this from happening again.”

Vicksburg Fire Chief Craig Danczyk was st the meeting but did not comment on the matter.

Clara Jones was the only resident to speak on crime within the city limits.

“We’re are headed in the right direction, and I commend Chief Moore and the police officers,” Jones said. “But we are starting to realize crime in the city is happening, and I do understand the police can’t be everywhere all the time. It’s going to take a community effort. It will take all of us to help out.”

Jones suggested the city should have an outreach committee to go out and talk to residents and let them know people care.

“People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care,” Jones said.

Jones also questioned the Mayor on the city’s use of cameras.

Flaggs mentioned he had a meeting this week to purchase 10 more mobile cameras to put out into the community. Flaggs stressed the $27,000 cost of each of the cameras is worth the investment for residents’ safety and to aid police officers. The first two new cameras will be placed in the Kings neighborhood.

While discussing the camera topic, Flaggs said he wants to require new businesses to install cameras on their buildings.

“As new businesses come and get a license for construction, we are in the works to require you to have some type of security camera as a measurement,” Flaggs said. “We aren’t responsible for the business, but we don’t want to take a hit when the business gets burglarized.”

In good news for coffee lovers, Flaggs stated that Starbucks is still in the works on Halls Ferry. The city is working with all involved on the plans, which he said are stuck on easement issues.

Jerry Phillips, a former Tupelo resident, brought up annexation of the county as a solution to increase the city’s population to make Vicksburg more competitive in attracting chain restaurants and retail businesses. It’s a subject that clearly struck a nerve with Flaggs, who was careful to emphasize he has no plans to suggest the move.

“Let me say this first,” Flaggs said. “You brought up annexation, not me.

“I think this new board of supervisors has an open mind on working together. I made a pact with them. I was not going to suggest anything to them; they need to suggest it to me. When that happens, then we will pass it.”

The Mayor closed with a phrase that has become his motto, “We need to provide the best quality of service at the least cost to the taxpayer.

“I am convinced my office can do better. The police department can do better. The fire department can do better. We continue to make strides each day. We are getting there.”

David Day contributed to this report.